Update January 2021: this podcast is no longer available on the web. Find out more about the work of Oracy Cambridge at https://oracycambridge.org/
“What we know now is that the ways teachers use talk in the classroom makes a difference to the learning of the students.”
This podcast from TES is a great listen if you’re interested in classroom dialogue and oracy. Neil Mercer is Director of Oracy Cambridge and it’s fascinating to hear him talking about research projects which he has been directly involved in.
For example, one project showed that these three things led to children attaining better results:
teachers enabling children to participate
teachers encouraging children to elaborate their ideas
teachers getting children to ask questions about the learning.
Use talking points to get students thinking and talking about a painting
A great way of revisiting prior learning by speaking to different people
Let’s start talking about the impact screen time might be having on language development
It’s great that they are motivated to speak next, but are they really listening?
How do they want to behave to become great 4C thinkers?
Deepen and consolidate learning through pupil dialogue
Show your pupils that you are trying to understand their thinking
A game to help children practise giving compliments… plus an announcement!
Pupils feel that P4C helps them with everything from relationships to confidence to staying calm